Page 994 - Clinical Small Animal Internal Medicine

932 Section 9 Infectious Disease

Table 98.1 Nonhemotropic mycoplasmas frequently isolated from domestic dogs and cats
VetBooks.ir Species Primary host Primary Diseases associated with or caused by mycoplasmas isolated

from domestic dogs and cats
colonization site
Mycoplasma cynos Domestic dogs ONP, RT, UGT CIRD, tracheobronchitis, bronchopneumonia, pyothorax
Mycoplasma canis (canine mycoplasmas) ONP, RT, UGT Urethritis, epididymitis, orchitis in male dogs; endometritis,
metritis, adverse pregnancy outcomes in female dogs
a
Mycoplasma edwardii ONP, RT, UGT Polyarthritis , meningoencephalitis a
Mycoplasma molare ONP, UGT ND
Mycoplasma ONP, RT, UGT ND
maculosum
Mycoplasma ONP, UGT ND
opalescens
Mycoplasma ONP, RT, UGT ND
mucosicanis
Mycoplasma ONP, RT, UGT Polyarthritis a
spumans
Ureaplasma UGT Infertility in male dogs a
canigenitalium
a
Mycoplasma felis Domestic cats (feline C, ONP, RT Conjunctivitis, keratitis , URTD, bronchopneumonia,
mycoplasmas) pyothorax, polyarthritis, meningoencephalomyelitis a
Mycoplasma gateae ONP, RT Polyarthritis, bronchopneumonia a
Mycoplasma ONP, RT ND
feliminutum
Ureaplasma felinum ONP ND
Ureaplasma cati ONP ND
Mycoplasma arginini Various (ubiquitous ONP, RT, UGT ND
Acholeplasma mycoplasmas) UGT ND
laidlawii

C, conjunctiva; ND, not defined, likely to be a commensal; ONP, oro‐ and nasopharynx; RT, respiratory tract; UGT urogenital tract.
a Single reports.

of healthy cats but can be isolated from the lungs of Signalment
healthy dogs. Younger, group‐living animals with syn­
demic viral/bacterial infections or underlying diseases Younger, immunosuppressed dogs and cats are more
that impair defense mechanisms are more likely to be likely to be affected by mycoplasmas and develop more
infected by mycoplasmas. They are efficiently transmit­ severe diseases.
ted through oronasal contact with aerosolized respira­
tory secretions or contact with freshly contaminated
fomites. History and Clinical Signs
Mycoplasmas are among the recognized normal flora
of the vagina and prepuce of dogs but are rarely isolated Ocular Mycoplasma Infections in Cats
from the feline urogenital tract. They have been associ­
ated with canine urogenital diseases in subpopulations of Mycoplasma felis is considered a major pathogen in con­
colonized individuals. Reasons and risk factors for dis­ junctivitis of cats. The prevalence rate of the agent in
ease development and progression are unknown. Canine ocular swabs taken from cats displaying conjunctivitis
genital mycoplasmas may be transmitted via sexual was 9.6% or 25% which is significantly higher than the
intercourse, artificial insemination or orogenital contact. respective rates of 2.3% or 0% present in clinically healthy
Mycoplasmas may also be transmitted vertically to fetus cats. In contrast, M. arginini and M. gateae more often
or offspring by ascending intrauterine infection, hema­ exist on the conjunctival surface of healthy cats.
togenously acquired placental infection, or during pas­ Experimental infections of M. felis have produced con­
sage through the birth canal. junctivitis only in young cats or when a large inoculation